Tuesday, February 26, 2008

New Looks

On Sunday we took M for a haircut. She was definitely in need of it as she was sporting a baby mullet, but I wasn't sure what exactly to do with it. After a nasty morning with a plateful of maple syrup and hair that looks like dredlocks, I decided it was time. The result?


I think she looks really cute! It's a little shorter than I would have liked but it will last longer. While trying to grab a picture of it, she shot me this face:


And then this one...

Nice, huh? That's the new face she gives you when you say smile or no, or anything else. The look also accompanies her "NO" or her demon voice as she likes to wip out from time to time. All this has made me realize that she's hit the terrible 2's. Yes, she's a bit early but so was C. It seems my girls like to start it at, ohh around 18 months. I have been dealing so much with the treacherous 3's as J calls them, that I've been caught offguard by this. The attitude, the tantrums, all has started to come falling out of my sweet baby girl. Where oh where did she go?? Oh right, she comes back out right when she knows she's in trouble... Manipulation at it's finest!! :)

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Little Ballerina

I accompanied J to C's ballet and tap class this weekend. I actually haven't gone since the session started a few weeks ago because C always wants Daddy to go. It's kind of a big deal because she's in the big girl class of 4-5 year olds as per the teacher. I was a little nervous as to how she would fare, but apparently I had nothing to worry about. She's doing beautifully in it as you can see from the following pictures:




Now the challenge will be to figure out what class to sign her up for the next session. I want to involve her in some type of sports as well as dance, but I also don't want an overscheduled kid on my hands. Decisions, decisions...

Cha Cha Cha Changes....

We've had a weekend of changes around here. M has been moved into a toddler bed. It wasn't by choice, mind you, it was a necessity. You see we have been debating the great move for a few months now. At first it was because we thought M's sleeping issues were caused by her dropping thing out of her crib or hitting her head on the crib rails. Then it was her "testing" the ability to climb out of her crib. She never actually did it, but she would put her one leg over like she was daring us to say anything.

So what made us make the move? Well on Saturday, Miss M. got her leg stuck in between the crib rails and actually got a burn on her ankle from trying to twist it out. So we decided it was time, or rather J decided it was time. I was all set to leave her crib in the room with the toddler bed for a few days, but J being as efficient as ever had the whole thing down and in the attic while I was at the store. The result?



M slept well until about 3 am Monday morning. Then she thought it was fun to get out of bed and knock on her door every 20 minutes until about 6 am. Needless to say, I wasn't a happy camper about it. Luckily last night was better with only one episode at 3:40 am where she fell out of bed. Hopefully tonight will be even better. She's loving her "big girl bed" and the freedom it brings. I on the otherhand am not as happy. It's a bittersweet moment. M is not in a crib, she's one step closer to being more independent. The crib, which my grandmother gave us, is packed up quite probably for good. So it's a mixed bag of emotions for me. I'm definitely happy and excited but I'm also mourning M's babyhood if you will. I can't even imagine how I'll be in a month when C turns 4!!!

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Oh yea, It's Valentine's Day...

I accompanied C to her preschool Valentine's Day party today. What sugar filled chaos!! The kids enjoyed snacking on some cupcakes, and M thought hanging out at the party also meant running out of the room every 3 seconds. Fun was had by all! :S

The kids and I made cards for Daddy yesterday as well as addressed her friend's cards. That's all the heart fun in this house today. I'm not sitting her looking at a huge bouquet of flowers and eating bon bons while admiring my new jewelry. Sorry Hallmark, not in this house. This Mommy is happy with the pure joy my oldest showed me when I appeared at her party. And happy with the huge hugs M has emparted on me today. That's what it's all about anyway, right?? Oh yea, and some kisses from my hubby too. :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

The Great Debate

I've reached the point in my stay at home life where I'm wondering if I made the right choice. Would we have been better off if I had continued working? Are the financial constraints my decision caused worth it?

You see I always thought I would be a working mom. I loved working...the interaction with different people, the problem solving, the feeling like I was accomplishing something on a daily basis. At the end of even the worst day I knew I finished SOMETHING! Whereas my stay at home mom status has me lacking in this department. Yes, I know I'm here for my kids and that counts for an awful lot, but when I look at it, there is no task that is accomplished, no client won over or crisis averted. There is just piles of laundry, cleaning to be done, and kids to put to bed.

The closer M gets to 2 the more I wonder if I should be going back to work. Am I ready to throw my hat back in the ring? Will the kids survive and thrive more in some type of daycare? Originally I had planned on waiting to go back to work until M was in preschool and C was in Kindergarten. It seemed like a logical time, but now I'm wondering if it is soon enough? Sure we could use the extra money I mean who couldn't, but is it worth the cost of daycare for both kids? Would I enjoy work for a few days, weeks, months until I am dying to stay at home again??? And hence my dilemma...

For now staying at home is the only option. Unless by some miracle a wonderful opportunity drops into my lap that I can't not take, the cost of daycare for two kids is too much. I would be working to literally pay someone else to care for my kids. And that I cannot accept. Besides, what would I do? I've been out of the work force now for over a year and I'm not sure what direction I want to go in. My old job was easy, no real challenges and no room for growth. So that leads me to be starting a new career which is terrifying. How do you start? Go back to school? Take a temp job? Talk to a career counselor? I just don't know. And so the questions keep going...

So in the life long debate over the stay at home vs. career mom, the stay at home mom wins this round. And as the screaming kids beacon me back to reality, I happily accept my role.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Bitten by the flu bug

Need I say anything else? The flu has hit our house full force. The girls got it almost 3 weeks ago and I spent last week in bed. Thank god for my mother in law coming down or we would have been in trouble! Hope everyone here is staying healthy!!

I have a few posts brewing, and I'll be back later but for now, off to the store and to catch up from being sick!!